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Embracing Change: 5 Mindfulness Activities for Kids

The ability to self-soothe and relax are essential skills for children to be resilient in the face of change. The transition from summer to fall is a great opportunity to incorporate techniques that build resilience These techniques can be used at home or at school when they feel threatened, afraid or stressed by change.

The following activities can be done in order or one at a time, as a group or with just one child.

This activity helps children realize they are able to return to a state of calm after experiencing stress by intentionally relaxing their muscles.

First, tell children to picture a leaf in the fall. Ask: “What color is your leaf?” “What size is it?”

Have children demonstrate what it looks like to be still on the end of the branch. Coach them to relax their muscles and focus on what it feels like to be airless.

Next, direct children to imagine how it feels to be a leaf, connected to a branch, gently moving in the breeze. Tell them to move like the leaf — sway back and forth.

Ask children to pretend the leaf is blown from the tree in a strong wind. Have them move as the leaf with the wind — twirling, circling etc.

Tell children to imagine the leaf settling on the grass. Have them relax wherever they are — some may choose to sit or lay down, some may just stand still.

Next, have children picture the wind blowing again. Ask: “How does the leaf look as it moves from resting to tumbling through the wind?” Have children demonstrate the leaf tossing in the wind once again.

Finally, have children settle once more on the ground. Ask: “What did your muscles feel like when you were still?” “What did your muscles feel like when you started to move around again?” “Were some muscles easier to relax than others?”

Have children tell a neighbor about their experience.

2. Touch

Everyone has experienced disappointment when something doesn’t go as planned, and resilience means being able to recover quickly. This activity allows children to experience unexpected results without negative side effects, which emphasizes that change is not always bad.

To prepare, pick a variety of small gourds that have unique-to-the-touch qualities — smooth, bumpy, perfectly round, oddly shaped etc.

While keeping their eyes closed, bring each child to the “patch” to touch and feel the gourds. Have children pick their favorite, based only on touch.

Have kids picture what the gourd might look like — color, shape, size etc. Ask: “Is it bumpy or smooth?” “Is it big or small?” “Is it round or flat?”

Next, have children touch the gourd to their cheek. Ask: “Does it feel different to your cheek than it did to your fingers?”

Now have children open their eyes and see what their gourd looks like. Ask: “Does your gourd look the way you thought it would?” “Even though it isn’t what you expected, is it still a gourd?” “Do anything bad actually happen when you discovered it was different than you expected?”

To prepare, choose scents associated with fall. Try a candle, spices or aromatherapy oils. Popular scents are cinnamon, pumpkin, clove, apple and vanilla.

If continuing on from the Breathing activity, tell kids to remove the gourd and close their eyes. Otherwise, direct children to lie down on the floor and close their eyes.

Have children imagine the little gourd on their tummies, rising and falling. Wave the first scent near each child’s nose. Ask: “What does this scent remind you of?” “Can you picture what it smells like?”

As you use three-five different scents, ask children to note the ways in which each scent smells different from the last. Coach them when you change to a new scent to focus on describing the smell and not on whether or not they like the smell.

This activity transitions nicely into a mindfulness meditation, or you can have children discuss what each scent made them picture.

5. Meditation

This activity teaches self-soothing through picturing a safe and happy place changing, which practices the belief that change doesn’t have to make us feel unsafe.

As kids are lying down with their eyes closed — preferably after a warm-up like the Scent activity mentioned before — have kids picture a place that makes them feel safe and happy. Ask: “Where do you feel most safe?” “Are you alone or with someone?”

Next, have them imagine more details of their safe place. Ask: “Is it inside or outside?” “What do you hear?” “What do you smell?”

Allow the children to stay in their safe place for three-five breaths.

Now tell them to picture their safe place in different seasons. Ask: “What does your safe place look like in winter?” “What does your safe place look like during the day versus at night?” “Do you still feel safe even when your safe place doesn’t look the same?”

Afterwards, have them talk to a neighbor about what they saw, or if they prefer, have them write about it.

These activities don’t have to be longer than a few minutes in order to be effective. The key is to be specific, intentional and consistent.